Xian H-6U
Badger aerial refuelling tanker dumping fuel. Note the revised nose
geometry, believed to be used on the new H-6K cruise missile carrier.
The pod installation is derived from a 1986 joint program with FRL in
the United Kingdom.

Background

By the end
of this decade China will be operating a mixed tanker fleet, comprising
at least two tanker variants of the indigenous H-6 Badger, and imported
Russian Ilyushin Il-78MK Midas tankers, based on the Il-76 Candid
airframe.

China,
like Australia, was a late entrant in the aerial refuelling game. At
this time the PLA operates two distinct tanker variants of the Badger.

It should
come as no surprise that the Badger was the basis of China's first
operational tanker aircraft. China initiated production of cloned
Tupolev Tu-16K Badgers during the late 1960s, and conducted an extended
series production build until the late 1980s, to supply Badgers to the
PLA-AF, the PLA-N and export clients. XAC (Xian) built around 120
airframes for the PLA, initially direct clones of the Tu-16K with the
Soviet search radar, armed with dumb bombs or nuclear bombs, later
anti-shipping strike H-6D/B-6D with a larger Chinese Type 245 radar,
adapted from the Soviet 'Square Tie' missile boat engagement radar, and
armed with a pair of large YJ-6/C-601 Kraken ASMs, cloned from the
Soviet P-15 Styx ASCM (the Styx weapon system was basically
transplanted from a Soviet fast missile boat into the Badger design).
Four B-6Ds were exported to Saddam's Iraq, and XAC spare parts
sustained the Eqyptian Tu-16K fleet until its recent retirement.

In terms
of performance and history the Badger is a contemporary of the British
V-bombers and compares best to the Vickers Valiant B.1 in size, weight,
installed thrust and basic performance. Until recently, all Badgers
were powered by variants of the Mikulin RD-3M, cloned in China as the
Wopen WP-8, rated in the 20,000 lb class.

The Tu-16K/H-6 Badger is a
very close equivalent to the long retired RAF Vickers Valiant B(K).1.
Upper image Christmas Island during the Grapple A-bomb trials.

H-6U/DU Badger
Aerial Refuelling Tanker

The PLA
Badger saga continues, with a tanker conversion engineered
during the late 1980s, and production restarted post 2001. The first
new production Badgers were the H-6H, armed with a Styx derivative
KD-63 TV/datalink guided cruise missile. The H-6H was soon followed by
the H-6M, with four outboard wing pylons and built to carry four
YJ-83/YJ-62 class anti-ship cruise missiles, and possibly land attack
derivatives. This year photos emerged of a third new build variant in
test, the H-6K cruise missile carrier with six wing pylons and a new
technology turbofan engine.

China's tanker conversion was the result
of an MoU signed with FRL Ltd in the UK, in 1986. The result of this
effort was an adaptation of the H-6 design with two indigenous pylon
mounted RDC-1 hose/drogue pods resembling older FRL Mk.32 pods, these
pods were designed by the China Research Institute of
Aero Accessories.

The H-6U
and H-6DU are equipped with a pair of Chinese built China Institute of
Aero
Accessories RDC-1 pods, which appear to be based on the FRL Mk.32
series.

With around 167,300 lb (75,800 kg) MTOW, 82,000 lb (37,150 kg) BEW, and
an internal fuel payload of about 85,000 lb (38600 kg) using a bomb bay
tank to supplant a 20,000 lb (9,000 kg) internal bomb payload, the
Badger makes for a reasonable tanker in the size and offload class of
the British V-bomber tanker conversions. With a total fuel uplift at
MTOW about one half of a KC-135E/R, each Badger in practical terms can
adequately support only two fighters.

The PLA
has never disclosed the exact number of H-6 Badgers converted to
tankers , nor proper technical detail on the configuration of the
tanker. The aircraft is claimed to have dual INS and dual RSBN TACAN
beacons.

Navy
H-6DU
gassing a J-8-II Finback.

At least
two variants exist, the PLA-AF H-6U and PLA-N H-6DU (HU-6D). Both
appear to be conversions of existing variants, using a pair of wing
mounted RDC-1 hose/drogue pods.

Available
photographs indicate the PLA-N H-6DU retaining the ventral Type 245
search radar radome, and the PLA-AF H-6U where the glazed navigator's
station in the nose has been painted over or reskinned with sheetmetal,
and a weather radar fitted. The remote control gun barbettes and tail
turret are deleted to save weight.

The Badger
refuellers have been used extensively to support the PLA-AF and PLA-N
indigenous J-8-II/J-8C/D Finback fighter fleet, and have also been
filmed refuelling the new J-10 canard fighter.

There is
no evidence to date of strike variant Badgers being fitted with
refuelling probes – the new turbofan powered H-6K is apt to have a
striking radius in excess of 2,000 nautical miles which covers the
needs arising from the recently adopted 'second island chain' strategy.
The natural candidate for a refuelling probe retrofit is the Tu-95/142
Bear probe, fitted either to the H-6 lower starboard gun port, or above
the nose. With a single refuelling an ALCM armed Badger could reach
northern Australia from mainland China comfortably.

As the PLA
does not openly disclose planning decisions, other than as propaganda
stunts where this is seen to be useful, there are no indications of how
many Badgers will eventually be converted into tankers.

The age of
most of the 'first generation' H-6/B-6 fleet varies roughly between 12
and 30 years, and the design is a very sturdy Russian derivative of
1940s Boeing technology. Publicly available data suggests that Badger
crews often average less than 100 hours annual flying time, which if
true indicates that the fatigue life in the Badgers could last for
decades yet, corrosion permitting. It is known that some of the oldest
Badgers have been scrapped in recent years.

New production PLA-AF H-6M
cruise missile carrier. The
follow-on H-6K has a turbofan engine.

The bigger issue for the Badger are the fifties technology Wopen WP-8
(Mikulin AM/RD-3M-500) 21,000 lb class turbojet powerplants which are
thirsty and maintenance intensive by current standards, and the
antiquated avionics. Earlier attempts to re-engine the Badgers were
abandoned.

The
appearance of the new build turbofan powered
H-6K changes everything. A newer technology 21+ klb class turbofan
would have a major impact on the achievable fuel offload performance
and the operational economics of the H-6U/DU Badger fleet. Re-engining
existing H-6U/H-6DU tankers, or building new production tankers
derivatives of the H-6K are now both feasible options for the PLA.

Ilyushin Il-78M
Midas Aerial Refuelling Tanker

China had
an ongoing interest since the 1990s in acquiring four engine Ilyushin
Il-78 Midas tankers. In 2003 reports of negotiations with
Rosoboronexport and Tashkent based TAPO to acquire six Il-78MKKs and
thirty Il-76MDs emerged in the Russian media. India took delivery of
Il-78MKI tankers in 2004, and this resulted in a tit-for-tat order for
8 Il-78MK tankers for the PLA-AF.

The Il-78
Midas was the second generation of dedicated tanker to be introduced by
the Soviets, replacing the very old Myasishchev M-4 tanker conversions
operationally in 1987.

Russian Il-78 Midas
gassing an Su-35.

Indian Il-78MKI gassing two
Su-30MKIs (IAF)

The
Il-78 is a conversion of the Il-76 Candid airlifter airframe,
conceptually not unlike the USMC KC-130 tankers. Around 80,000 lb of
auxiliary fuel is carried in two large fuselage tanks, mounted on fixed
pallets which are carried on the main freight deck. While the earliest
Midas tankers were reported to be dual role 'convertibles', indications
are that more recently built aircraft are dedicated tankers, with a
single large fuselage tank for auxiliary fuel.

The Il-78 uses the Sakhalin/Severin UPAZ-1/1A aerial refuelling pod
which is compatible with standard Russian probes used on the Tu-95
Bear, Su-24 Fencer, and Su-27SKM/Su-33/Su-30/Su-35 Flankers. It is
credited with a fuel transfer rate of up to 3,900 lb/minute.

The Midas
is equipped with three pylons to carry UPAZ-1 series pods, one under
each outboard wing, and one on the port aft fuselage. The Russians are
known to fly the aircraft with one, two or three pods fitted.

The Midas is a tanker in the class of the
KC-135 series, with a takeoff fuel payload of around 220,000 lb. Older
variants of the Il-76 and Il-78 are powered by four Aviadvigatel' D-30KP turbofans, newer aircraft are now being
built with a much more fuel efficient turbofan, with Russia planning to
re-engine older aircraft with the PS-90 over time.

The recency of the PLA-AF order indicates
that the aircraft will be delivered in the Il-78MK configuration,
likely powered by PS-90A76 fans.

In the
long term we can expect significant expansion of the PLA tanker fleet,
as all of the late build Su-27SMK/J-11 Flankers and Su-30MKK/MK2
Flankers have refuelling probes, as does the new J-10 canard fighter.
The PLA's options will be conversion of existing Badgers, production of
a turbofan powered H-6K derivative tanker, or the purchase of further
Midas tankers from Russia.